Friday, August 17, 2012

My Favorite Phillies Game

Earlier this week we asked readers to recall their favorite Phillies games and below are some of the entries we received via email. Thanks for sharing...

From Jeremy:
My favorite Phillies memory was the first time I watched them play in the Vet against the Dodgers on August 25, 1995. It was the last family vacation we took before I left home, for good, to ship off to Marine Corps boot camp. Hideo Nomo got the start for the Dodgers against the vaunted (rated rookie) Jeff Juden. Typical late 90's Phillies expectations, shitty. Gregg Jefferies, one of my most hated Phils hit for the cycle. Juden went deep as well and pitched a complete game. Juden broke several bats during BP, so he had to borrow a bat from Stocker, if I remember correctly. The Phightins went on for a 17-4 stomping of the Dodgers. After the game we went down to the players exit and got a couple of autographs, the biggest name I got was Tommy Greene. Dutch got hurt on a play at the plate and I remember the pissed off look I got from Tommy when I asked him how Dutch was doing. We had such a good time with an unexpected win that we went back the next night.

August 26, 1995- Dodgers vs. Phils in the Vet, Ismael Valdez vs. Sid Fernandez. Another unexpected Phils victory (9-4). Shaky start for the former Met "great" as he gave up a first inning HR to the "not gay" Piazza. But the Phils broke the game open with an 8 run 4th inning. Check out the craptastic players in the box score for that game. Mark Whitten in the clean up spot, followed by a favorite of mine Charlie Hayes, then Phucco Van Slyke.

From Greg:
My favorite Phillies game memory (that I was present for), was last season's 19 inning classic against the Reds. Roy Halladay pitched decent, Bastardo almost blew the game, and Howard ties it up with I believe one strike left to go. Danys Baez grinds out 5 scoreless innings by some kind of miracle, and Wilson Valdez gets the meat of the order out in the 19th leaving Ibanez to walk it off. It summed up why I love baseball over all the other sports. You just don't know what's going to happen in a game that has no clock.

From Matt:
My favorite Phils memory is a game between two team going nowhere, but for pure excitement, it's my favorite game...June of 1990,( I had to look it up) the Phils, after a promising start, were stumbling back to their normal mid-to-bottom of the standings pace. We had a double-header versus the Cubs. First game, Phils are sleep-walking towards a 5-1 loss. The whole game, the Phils dugout had been chirping at the home plate ump about squeezing the strike zone. Eighth inning, Phils get a runner on, and Dykstra smokes a homer to get us within two. The crowd is starting to rustle. Phils get another runner aboard, and after an out, the ump rips off his mask and throws Nick Leyva out of the game for complaining about the strike zone. Crowd gets a little more riled. Before the next batter - Charlie Hayes- can hit, Bowa starts in on the ump from the 3rd base coaches box. He rants and raves, then gets tossed. The crowd goes nuts. Cubs change pitcher, and while he's warming up, Vukovich starts in on the ump, and now he gets the old heave-ho. Now the crowd is going bonkers. Charlie Hayes steps in the box and hits the first pitch about 500 feet into the upper deck, tying the game. The old Vet was shaking. I still get goose-bumps remembering it. Phils ended up winning in 10 innings.

Even though we sucked that year. we had the core of the '93 team on board- Dykstra, Kruk, Hollins, Daulton. We didn't know it at the time, but better days were coming, if only briefly.

From Don:
My most memorable moment was the year the stadium (Citizens Bank Park) opened. My friend gave me 4 tickets to the on deck series. They were in the Diamond Club area right behind the Phillies on deck player stands. Ricky Ledee was batting and fouled one off near Todd Pratt who was on deck, so I yelled "Hey, Todd!", and he tossed the ball to me that I gave to my son. Go Phillies!

From Richard:
He claims- I was born a Phillies Phan only because I could not root for them any earlier!
Check out his favorite game at Dawgbones, A Phillies Phan!

3 comments:

bill martin
said...

One of my most memorable moments was the Phillies first game after 911. There was so much emotion and pride for our country that night. So many tears, players and fans. Flags of all sizes be waved throughout the entire game. It's a moment that will never be matched!

My favorite Phillie game was 1984 it was my 1st home game as a Phillie . We were at the Vet and I was hitting behind Mike Schmidt. Nolan Ryan was the pitcher. I watched from one knee in the on deck circle as Mike worked the count full. I was like a fan instead of the next hitter. Mike fouled off 5 or 6, 3 and 2 pitches before stiriking out. Now it was my turn to face the Express.As the fans made there way to the concessions stand I quickly went down on 3 pitches. Mike ended up winning that game with a homerun in the ninth off Nolan.After the game I thought it has to be all down hill from here. Glennbo